There are many famous “talking” cars such as KITT, Herbie, and Mater. One you may not have heard of, however, and likely the first of its kind, was a Chevrolet named Chevee.
Chevee appeared in salesrooms across the United States and Canada from 1924 to 1927. It was sometimes referred to as “Blue Chevee,” so it was likely a Chevrolet Deluxe Touring which was introduced mid-year 1924 and was gray-blue in color with cardinal striping. The gray-blue color scheme was carried out in both the upholstery and the steel disc wheels with which the car came equipped. This beautiful 1924 Chevrolet Deluxe Superior Touring located at the Museum of Automobiles in Morilton, Arkansas, provides a good idea of what Chevee looked like.
Chevee could talk, sing, laugh, and whistle. It called people by name and said, “How d’ya do?” when meeting someone new. It could answer questions asked at random about anyone or anything and could identify items pulled from the pockets of spectators. Chevee even told fortunes.
Chevee would light its lights upon request and would wink flirtatiously at the women in the audience by blinking its lights. Chevee played music in a phonographic voice even though there was no phonograph to be found, and people did try to find one. In fact, they were encouraged to try. The car was mounted on four wooden jacks so that skeptics could crawl under the car looking for answers. Truth seekers were allowed to look under the hood and floorboards and even remove the seats.
The Shreveport Journal reported that the voice sounded like it was coming from under the motor, but no one inspecting it could locate any connecting wires or other apparatus there, under the seats, or anywhere else on the car. There were also no wires connecting the automobile to anything else.
Chevee was wildly popular and often had to be held over to accommodate the sizeable crowds it drew. In Kenosha, it reportedly drew such large crowds that police had difficulty keeping South Street clear in front of the Chevrolet dealership.
Everyone detests an unsolved mystery, but I could find no subsequent explanation of how Chevee functioned. The answer clearly lies with the man conducting the shows, a vaudeville comedian by the name of Billy Van Duzer, as he miraculously appeared with a talking Essex, a talking Dodge, and even a talking Durant the following year. The Chevrolet was the first, however, and the only one graced with a name. The act was apparently played out by the end of 1928, because there were no more appearances made by Van Duzer with Chevee or any other communicative automobile.
Sources:
Advertisement. J. V. Baldwin. Los Angeles Evening Express, 10 Feb 1926, p. 27.
Advertisement. Robertson Motor Co. Imperial Valley Press, 15 July 1924, p. 2.
Advertisement. Roberts Motor Co. Valdosta Daily Times, 17 Feb 1925, p. 2.
Advertisement. S-W-S Chevrolet Co. Dayton Daily News, 29 Mar 1925, p. 54.
Advertisement. The White Chevrolet Co. The Times Recorder [Zanesville], 15 April 1925, p. 2.
“Big Crowds Hear Talking ‘Chevee’.” The Flint Journal, 19 Dec 1924, p. 3.
“‘Chevee’ Stays Here Three More Days.” Kenosha News, 13 Oct 1924, p. 7.
“‘Chevee’ Talks at Roberts Motor Co.” The Valdosta Daily Times, 18 Feb 1925, p. 3.
“Chevrolet Deluxe Models Appear.” Blairsville Dispatch, 2 Sept 1924, p. 7.
“Educated Durant Puzzles Audience.” Corpus Christi Caller Times, 26 Oct 1928, p. 8.
“Explanations Easy for ‘Talking’ Chevee.” Decatur Herald, 12 Feb 1925, p. 7.
“Famous Talking Chevrolet to be Displayed Here.” The Pittsburgh Press, 25 Jan 1925, p. 79.
“Man Who Can Make Auto Talk Arrives in City.” Corpus Christi Caller Times, 19 Jan 1928, p. 7.
“Mystery Shrouds Uncanny Dodge Performance.” McAllen Daily Press, 14 Mar 1928, p. 1.
“Talking Chevrolet Mystifies Visitors to Brownlee-Wells Co.” The Shreveport Journal, 26 Jan 1926, p. 7.